Technology group for seals, vibration control technology, technical textiles, filtration, cleaning, specialty chemicals and medical technology.
Freudenberg SE
Weinheim (Group Headquarters) · Wolfratshausen · Kaiserslautern · Tokyo · Plymouth, MI · Shanghai · Bangalore · São Paulo · Parets del VallesNew on Amplifa
About Freudenberg
The Freudenberg Group is a family-owned technology group headquartered in Weinheim, founded in 1849 as a tannery. Today the company manufactures and develops technical products with around 51,000 employees in around 60 countries for around 40 market segments: seals (Simmerings, O-rings, mechanical seals, flat gaskets, compensators), vibration control components (NVH), technical textiles and nonwovens, filter elements for air and liquid filtration, cleaning solutions, release agents and specialty lubricants, medical devices as well as solutions for electromobility. At the core is the materials expertise for elastomers, polymers, silicones and high-performance ceramics, complemented by material development with machine learning and simulation at Freudenberg Technology Innovation. The business groups serve industries ranging from automotive and renewable energies to medical technology, construction and pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, food and electronics.
- Site
- Weinheim
- Processes
- Sealing technology (Simmering®, O-rings, static and dynamic seals), Manufacture of nonwovens, Coating of technical textiles, Manufacture of filter elements for air and liquid filtration, Manufacture of vibration control components (NVH solutions), Manufacture of medical devices (minimally invasive catheters) under cleanroom conditions, Manufacture of release agents for industrial production processes (mold release agents), Material development with machine learning and simulation (elastomers, polymers, formulations)
- Materials
- NBR (Perbunan), Synthetic rubber Buna, Quantix® Ultra (material class), Quantix® (material class for heat protection), Elastomers, Polymers, Recycled PET, High-performance ceramics
- Founded
- 1849
- Employees
- 51000
- Industries
- Automotive industry/electromobility, Renewable energies, Medical technology, Construction, Apparel/hygiene, Industry & production
- 01
Material development (including AI-supported formulation)
- 02
Design and rapid prototyping
- 03
Component manufacturing
- 04
Surface and coating processes
- 05
Testing and simulation
- 06
Assembly and digital monitoring solutions
Materials and Processes
NBR (Perbunan)
Elastomer for seals such as the Simmering, in use since the 1930s.
Quantix® / Quantix® Ultra
Developed material classes, among others for heat protection and sealing applications, partly developed with machine learning.
Elastomers and Polymers
Base materials for sealing, damping and formulation developments, among others for fuel cells.
Silicone
Material for medical technology products as well as coated technical textiles.
Thermoplastics
Thermoplastic seals and medical devices.
Recycled PET
Raw material for nonwovens in green roof and facade systems.
High-performance ceramics
Material for mechanical seals in pumps and compressors.
Chrome-tanned leather
Historical base material of the company, among others for the first cuff seals.
Locations
Weinheim
DEGroup headquarters (Freudenberg SE / Freudenberg & Co. KG), industrial park and services
- Industrial park services (energy, IT, occupational safety, education center)
Wolfratshausen
DEFreudenberg Flow Technologies GmbH (mechanical seals EagleBurgmann)
- Materials
- High-performance ceramics, elastomers, thermoplastics
Kaiserslautern
DEFreudenberg Medical Europe GmbH (medical technology)
- Materials
- Silicone, thermoplastics
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sealing technology (Simmering®, O-rings, static and dynamic seals)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Elastomers, NBR (Perbunan), Quantix® |
| Engineering | – | – | – | Small series | Elastomers |
| Joining | – | – | – | – | High-performance ceramics, Elastomers, Thermoplastics |
| Manufacture of nonwovensPlastics | – | – | – | – | Recycled PET, Synthetic latex |
| Coating of technical textilesSurface | – | – | – | – | Technical textiles, Silicone |
| Manufacture of filter elements for air and liquid filtrationPlastics | – | – | – | – | Filter media (Viledon) |
| Manufacture of vibration control components (NVH solutions)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Elastomers, Rubber-metal composites |
| Manufacture of medical devices (minimally invasive catheters) under cleanroom conditionsAssembly | – | – | – | – | Silicone, Thermoplastics |
| Manufacture of release agents for industrial production processes (mold release agents)Surface | – | – | – | – | Chemicals/specialty chemicals |
| Material development with machine learning and simulation (elastomers, polymers, formulations)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Elastomers, Polymers |
| Electroplating / surface treatmentsSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of specialty lubricantsSurface | – | – | – | – | Lubricants |
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 1849
Foundation of the tannery Heintze & Freudenberg by Carl Johann Freudenberg and Heinrich Christian Heintze in Weinheim
- 1850
Introduction of patent leather production; later Germany's largest tannery
- 1874
Renaming to Carl Freudenberg; foundation of the company health insurance fund
- 1887
Carl Johann Freudenberg writes down his business principles
- 1900-1904
Chrome tanning process; largest leather manufacturer in Europe
- 1929
Start of diversification: leather cuff seals for the automotive industry
- 1932
Invention of the Simmering® by Walther Simmer
- 1936-1938
NBR Simmering®, nonwoven production (Viledon), nora shoe soles
- 1960
Foundation of Japan Vilene Company
- 1994
Business principles of the Group
- 1999
Corporate guiding principles
- 2015
Start of the e2 program (education and environment, €24 million total funding); Code of Conduct
- 2025
CO2 intensity reduced by 51% compared to 2020; interim target of -65% by 2030, CO2 neutrality Scope 1+2 by 2045